Sunday, 22 May 2016

IS THERE A FUTURE FOR FOOTBALL AT THE HARE & HOUNDS??

THE SEATS HERE ARE FROM THE OLD WEMBLEY STADIUM

THE MAIN STAND STILL LOOKING LIKE IT COULD BE USED WITH SOME LOVE AND ATTENTION

Many column inches will be covered in the national press regarding West Ham United's opening game at The Olympic Stadium in East London this summer - Will any cover the fact there is a football ground a short distance down the road standing derelict and in need of some much needed love and attention - just a fraction of the money spent on the The Hammer's new home could bring The Hare and Hounds back up to a reasonable standard.

Those that graced the hallowed turf at Leyton FC's home and the fans who went to support them will be saddened to see the ground in it's present state - the above photos were taken recently by @Jt11John - he is well worth a follow on Twitter. The demise of Leyton FC in 2011 wasn't without controversy and is well written about elsewhere ( When Saturday Comes 2011 and Two Hundred Percent 2011 are excellent articlces) - it sadly saw the end of the beautiful game being played at the famous old stadium.

The local area is littered with clubs ground currently ground-sharing (London Bari at Clapton, Waltham Forest and Wadham Lodge, Barkingside at Ilford, Greenhouse Sports at Haringey Borough are few which spring to mind) so it's sad to see a stadium not being used when clubs are in desperate need of a home to call their own which could benefit the local community immensely.

The future of the stadium is unknown at this time - only time will tell if football will return to E10.

SOME HISTORIC DATES IN THE HISTORY OF LEYTON FOOTBALL CLUB 1868 - Leyton FC formed1927 - They beat Barking Town at The Den to win the FA Amateur Cup for the first time1928 - Win the FA Amateur Cup again beating Cockfield 3-2 at Ayresome Park1934 - Runners Up in the FA Amateur Cup losing 2-1 to Dulwich Hamlet at The Boleyn Ground1937 - Runners Up in the FA Amateur Cup again to Dulwich Hamlet. This time 2-0 at The Boleyn Ground1952 - Runners Up for a third time in the FA Amateur Cup. Walthamstow
Avenue won a very local derby at Wembley Stadium 2-1.1975 - Leyton FC and some of the people involved with Wingate FC form Leyton-Wingate (They moved East after losing the original club's Hall Lane ground when it was demolished to make
way for the new M1 Motorway)*
* Wingate FC started again at Arkley at Under 18 level - They moved up from Sunday youth football, into the Hertfordshire Senior County League and then the South Midlands League. Due to the SML imposing an all floodlight rule for Premier Division sides the club left the league in 1991 after an eigth placed finish in the top division. They merged with Finchley to form Wingate and Finchley.

1982 - Leyton-Wingate champions of the Athenian League1985 - Leyton-Wingate champions of Isthmian Division Two (North) - one place ahead of Finchley FC - Stevenage Borough were 4th!1985/86 - An historic run in the FA Cup for Leyton-Wingate see's them visit The Vetch Field to play then Swansea City who won the game 2-0. The former Leyton FC had qualified for the rounds's proper on several occasions in the past. 1987 - Leyton-Wingate promoted to Premier Division after finishing runner's up in Division One.

1991/92 - After this season Leyton-Wingate reverted back to Leyton FC. They had been relegated from the Isthmian Premier Division the previous season and finished 14th in Division One. 1995 - Leyton FC merge with Walthamstow Pennant to form Leyton-Pennant.
(Walthamstow Pennant were formed as Pennant FC in 1964 as a
Junior side subsequently changed their name to represent Walthamstow
when Walthamstow Avenue became part of Redbridge Forest in 1988) - The new club play at Wadham Lodge.

1997 - Leyton FC reformed and are founder members of the Spartan South Midlands League Division One. 2001 - Leyton FC win the Essex Senior League and are promoted to the Ryman League. 2002 - A High Court case rules that the reformed club have succesfully
won the right to be recognised as an official continuation of the
original club formed in 1868. 2003 - Leyton-Pennant re-named Waltham Forest FC 2005 - Leyton reach the play-offs in the Ryman Premier Division and
narroly miss out on promotion to Conference South losing 2-1 to
Eastleigh in the play-off final. 2008 - Leyton finish bottom of the Ryman Premier Division conceding a
massive 123 goals in 42 matches. Just four league wins over the course
of the season come at home to Horsham and Boreham Wood and away at
Hastings United and Ashford Town (Middlesex). On the 15th December 2007
Hendon win 1-11 at The Hare & Hounds - this was part of a losing run in the league of
27 matches. 2011 - Leyton FC suspended from the Ryman League and withdraw from the competition. They were members of Division One (North). 2016 - The Hare and Hounds Stadium stands derelict as above with the future as yet unconfirmed.